Bird of the day
Scale-throated hermit
Phaethornis eurynome
The scale-throated hermit (Phaethornis eurynome) is a species in the hummingbird family Trochilidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.
The scale-throated hermit is about 14 to 14.5 cm (5.5 to 5.7 in) long. Males weigh 4.5 to 6 g (0.16 to 0.21 oz) and females 4 to 5 g (0.14 to 0.18 oz). This medium-sized hermit is olive green above with grayish underparts. Its dark throat whose feathers have lighter edges give the eponymous scaly appearance. The face has a black "mask" with a pale supercilium and gular stripe. Its tail feathers have white tips and the middle pair are longer than the others. The sexes are similar but the female has shorter wings and a less strongly decurved bill. The two subspecies have identical plumage but P. e. paraguayensis is significantly smaller than the nominate.
Aliases
Phaethornis eurynome, Phaethornis euronyme, Scale-throated hermit